The Operational Group RE2AQUA will analyse the potential for reducing water consumption in the agri-food sector through reuse strategies
The Operational Group RE2AQUA aims to generate scientific and technical evidence that allows us to overcome the possible legislative barriers that limit the reuse of recovered water in the agri-food industry, especially those based on the origin of the water. This will allow the sector to continue improving efficiency in water management, contributing to its adaptation to present and future water scarcity scenarios, minimizing the impact on its economic activity and making a more sustainable management of water resources.
The Operational Group will evaluate the application of innovative technological solutions to obtain high-quality water from waste streams from different agri-food industries, with the potential to be reused and/or recycled within the same industry. These solutions will contribute to reducing dependence on conventional water resources and complying with possible limitations on consumption related to drought episodes such as the one we are currently experiencing, in which the Special Drought Plan of Catalonia establishes reductions in water consumption according to the drought scenario (15% in a state of exception and 25% in a state of emergency).
The first phase of the project has consisted of the physicochemical characterization of different types of process water in agri-food companies, whether they are wastewater treated by biological systems, by physicochemical processes, untreated wastewater, or process water (separative network).
Once characterised, the potential uses of the recovered water in each of the agri-food industries participating in the project will be identified, and the most appropriate innovative technologies will be selected for the treatment of the different liquid waste streams and that allow the reuse of water in cleaning and cooling processes, recirculation in industrial processes and reuse for crop irrigation.
An assessment of the risk associated with the reuse of water will also be carried out, depending on its quality and considering physicochemical parameters, the presence of pathogens, disinfectants and residues of cleaning products. This analysis will be carried out in accordance with current regulations: RD 1085/2024 on water reuse and RD 3/2023 on technical-sanitary criteria for the quality of drinking water. In addition, the project will study the technical and economic feasibility of the technologies analysed. Finally, a document of recommendations and administrative procedures will be prepared. This document will allow the information generated to be transferred to other companies in the agri-food sector, facilitating the dissemination of knowledge and providing recommendations to the administration.
The project is coordinated by the Catalan Water Partnership (CWP), led by the company La Fageda and has the participation of BonArea, Torrent i Fills, the Falset-Marçà Cooperative and the Beta Technology Center of the University of Vic.
RE2AQUA is an Action of the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027 co-financed by:
